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GM Defies the Odds and Sells Plenty of Tahoes, Yukons, and Suburbans

Nov 10, 2016 by tgriffith

2017 Chevrolet Tahoe LT Midnight Edition

Perhaps the last third of 2016 will be remembered for the theme, “Expect the Unexpected.”

Tuesday night’s election results shocked the world as President-elect Trump overcame astronomical odds to secure the nation’s highest office. That’s as far as our political commentary will go on this blog, but rest assured the significance of the election isn’t lost on us. We’ll be sure to keep a close eye on the election’s effects on the auto industry.

Slightly less significant, October’s car sales report had a few unexpected twists too. In a time of slowing sales, when we might expect passenger cars and full-size trucks to maintain the status quo, something else has happened.

Will Volkswagen’s Atlas Rise?

Nov 3, 2016 by tgriffith

volkswagen_atlas_front

Two interesting things happened this week that must be a crazy coincidence, but make me wonder if Volkswagen and Metallica have some kind of secret marketing deal in place.

First, the legendary metal band released a rocking new single called “Atlas, Rise!” Shortly after, Volkswagen unveiled a new SUV called the Atlas.

Coincidence?

Perhaps.

Both Metallica and Volkswagen are staging a comeback of sorts. The aging band finally seems to have gotten back to its roots, and the German automaker desperately wants to leave its diesel scandal in the past.

Could Atlas save them both?

GM and Toyota Dive Deeper Into Car Sharing

Nov 2, 2016 by tgriffith

MAVEN

How would you like to rent a car in less than a second?

The idea of instant access to a vehicle could be appealing, especially for people who don’t own a car and live in a big city. General Motors and Toyota are the latest major automakers to get on board the car-sharing trend and could help turn it into a new normal for urban-dwelling commuters.

The idea of a car company venturing into the by-the-hour car rental business might seem to fly in the face of their desire to sell cars meant for individual ownership, but the younger generation seems to be demanding a change in how they transport themselves.

They don’t want to own cars, but they want convenient, inexpensive access to them.

Cue Maven.

IMPA Test Days: We’ll Be Back

Oct 28, 2016 by Steve Halloran

The spectacular trees of New York State’s Catskill Mountains had to settle for backdrop status early last week. The New York City-based International Motor Press Association assembled a magnificent collection of cars, trucks, and motorcycles as well as a bunch of car and motorcycle writers at the Monticello Motor Club‘s (MMC) racetrack and extensive off-road course for IMPA Test Days 2016, 48 hours of intense on- and off-road testing.

It’s Here: The Nieman Marcus Christmas Car. Buy One!

Oct 28, 2016 by tgriffith

neiman-marcus-limited-edition-infiniti-q60-large

Every year at about this time we get to announce, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, the annual Neiman Marcus Christmas Book car.

For the uninitiated, the Neiman Marcus car is an extravagant version of a vehicle typically priced much higher than comparable models at local dealerships. It’s always a limited edition and always sells out within hours, sometimes minutes, of going on sale.

Recent years have included worthy cars such as Aston Martin and Ferrari, as well as questionable choices such as a $95,000 Mustang and a limited edition Camaro.

How does this year’s choice stack up? Well, at $63,000, it’s definitely one of the least expensive Neiman Marcus cars to hit the catalog in a very long time. It’s also one of the best values.

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